Colovaria
by Bunnei
Summary: Of all the underhanded pranks Hermione had been subjected to, having her hair charmed to turn pink in the midst of her conversation might've just been the one thing she didn't know she needed. Soulmate AU


**Title: **Colovaria

**Pairing: **Hermione x Viktor

**Description: **Of all the underhanded pranks Hermione had been subjected to, having her hair charmed to turn pink in the midst of her conversation might've just been the one thing she didn't know she needed.

**Extra Info: **I've probably went the last weeks wanting to write some krumione after years and I had absolutely no idea where to start. So...I went hunting for AUs to delve into and I figured this would make for a pretty simple but entertaining oneshot. Be easy on me if you read, I'm quite rusty!

* * *

Deep within the history of the wizarding world, it had been said that there were beings out there birthed one half of a whole. Destined to be with another whose soul was so similar to their own, that no other could compare. Destiny, of course, could only do so much as it was the duty of these souls to find their mates.

In ancient times, when a couple would be so much in love with one another and choose to partake in vows of the heart to remain together forever they could relinquish themselves to the ultimate test of affinity.

A simple color changing charm called _Colovaria _would be cast on one party to any part of their body. After doing so, the two chosen people had to make physical contact in some form. While the spell was an important part, the feelings and interaction afterwards were more key to the success of this process. Once completed, their betrothed would also take on the shade of color to the same area upon their own body if they were in fact so compatible as they thought.

Of course, this isn't to say that this outcome occurred with every pairing. There were some who were abandoned at their alters, left in tears as their supposed other half fled the area in mortification. Others didn't care and they continued on with their bonds for however long they were granted life. This way of finding a soulmate had even given way to find other halves in the most unusual of ways.

Destiny could be quite the fickle fellow.

In time, the ceremony of finding out if the person you were marrying, or perhaps whoever the test had been administered to, was in fact your soulmate died out. The thought of a soulmate became legend and fiction as the centuries drifted on and eventually mere silly talk and games from the magical youth that inherited such stories.

* * *

Hermione wasn't quite sure how she felt in the moment. Her last class of the day dealing with ancient runes had wrapped up and she was free for the weekend aside from any minor work she would need to tidy up before she submitted most of it the following Monday. She accepted her studious nature with open arms but there were times where she was quite glad to have the weekend to commit to other _things_.

Things like...spending some time on Saturday with Viktor and a few of his friends Hermione had the pleasure of meeting over the span of the school year so far. The group of them were particularly welcoming of her and despite their language barrier, she was growing fond of their company. They traded bits and pieces of their home language to her in return for her ability to explain English phrases they could not quite understand yet. All in all, the just of what they wished to say was articulated fairly decent.

On one hand, she felt quite pleased at the aspect of spending more time with Viktor but on the other she slightly held onto a sliver of nervousness from his presence. Hermione couldn't quite pinpoint what her emotions meant as her friendship with him, while she reasoned was quite normal, wasn't exactly what she was used to. At least compared to how most of the boys of hogwarts treated her it wasn't on the same level.

They had spent quite a bit of time together, especially after the yule ball had taken place which was just over four months ago. Hermione often caught herself in thought about what Viktor might think of this or how he might choose to respond to that. Minor things she had told herself, things that meant perhaps they had become closer friends. Though she tended to blush at the term friends whenever it popped up in her mind or through conversation. Come to think of it her cheeks currently burned fuzzily at this thought.

Hermione felt the crisp spring air on flow against her legs and face as she exited out a large door, making her way towards the courtyard area. She'd agreed to meet Viktor there after her class was finished to determine what places they wanted to visit during their visit to hogsmeade.

Hermione's ability to multitask was temporarily tested as she loosened her scarf while she slid her book into the satchel she had carried on with her. Right after she felt the need to shove her scarf in as well, as the air was chilly for some reason but not quite so bad that she felt she needed relief from it any longer. In the midst of this she identified a slytherin group that lurked about under one of the roofed areas. _Huddled together like a pack of rats no doubt, _she thought.

Clearly able to identify Malfoy as one of the beings in the group with her peripheral vision she continued forth at the same pace and hoped that whatever nuisance they'd bring with them if alerted could be avoided altogether.

_Step with your left, Step with your right. Step with your l-left, Step with your right. Step with your left, Step with your right._

Lately she felt as if Draco and his housemates had done everything in their power to antagonize, belittle, and thwart her happiness. Since nothing had gotten truly physical,_ recently at least_, it had annoyed her greatly more than anything but it had become quite unnerving at this point after she started to feel it necessary to watch her steps.

Hermione took a deep breath and kept her attention forward and chose to put her thoughts about Malfoy out of sight and out of mind. If they hadn't done anything by now then she didn't need to waste time worrying about things of that nature. She had other things to be attentive of.

Though it started small, her lips quirked into a large smile upon the sight of Viktor. He wasn't quite so shy anymore about when greeted her. After all the trouble that seemed to occur that year he seemed to have no problem welcoming her with a wave, having stood as she had walked close enough. Neither sought out to hide their friendship from the public after the ball and while Viktor was so sure it would end up with Hermione in some sort of danger no one had yet to interfere so harshly.

"I do hope I haven't kept you long!" Hermione apologized as gave a small wave in return, whilst her bag slid off her shoulder in a fluid motion to rest against the bench as she took a seat. Her hand brushed underneath the edge of her skirt as to make sure it did not rest messily and cause excess wrinkles in the fabric.

"Not at all, vould vait as long as need for you Herm-own-ninny." Viktor appeared to have chuckled as she had spoken before he responded. It appeared nothing would ever be an inconvenience for him when it pertained to Hermione. At least that's how she had started to feel in regards to the way he spoke to her. It gave her a special sense about her being, as if she were quite worthy of someone else's time.

"You know sometimes you sound quite serious," Hermione noticed a certain glint in his eye, as if his face had lightened a bit as he had spoken, "Did you want to get started or should we wait for anyone else?"

"Da, very serious, swear on heart! Fyodor and Alexsandr come by soon, not sure of others. Vont be sure till first two be here." Viktor answered back, his English still broken but Hermione understood him just fine. He had certainly improved since their first talk and for that she had been quite proud of him. His earnest attempts to further his ability to speak a language like English more fluently was a testament to his patience and tenacity. It was something that she admired most about him.

Though it took her a moment, Hermione swore she heard a bit of shuffling behind her. As she turned around, there was nothing to see other than the normal groups of students who walked through the courtyard. Malfoy's group had dispersed it seemed though which caused her to feel temporarily relieved. Though it seemed they were gone, that didn't mean she had nothing to worry about.

"Her-miyo-ninny, you are okay? Seem jumpy all veek, am starting to be vorried now." Though he meant it a bit more light-hearted than it came out, Viktor spoke his thoughts as best he could. He'd noticed a forming pattern in the hogwarts girl, one that he wasn't sure if he liked. She seemed to be preoccupied about something which in turn made him start to worry. He disliked leaving problems not dealt with and this was certainly one that had been brewing for a bit of time. If only she would fess up to what it was.

"Oh? I'm sorry, I just thought I heard something is all. I'm good though, nothing to worry about right now." Hermione shook her hands and held a temporarily sheepish grin on her face while she placed one hand on her knee and one hand extended further out onto the bench comfortably. Had she gotten that bad? She needed to control herself a bit more if that were the case. The problem she was having could be saved for later.

"Vell, please tell when ready, da? Is okay to share burdens with friends. I help, da?" Viktor sent her a look, one that meant he wasn't quite sure if he believed her but before he could pry further the duo he mentioned she seemed ready to move on. He could leave it for now he supposed as she could be quite stubborn when she felt the need to.

In the distance he could see the familiar brown material of his school's outfit shifting through the crowds of students. It seemed another class had let out so they did their best to sift through a crowd that shrunk the more they weaved in and out of it. They waved, but only Viktor had spotted them so he merely waved them over as Hermione spoke to which she picked up on after a moment.

"Of course Viktor...I'm not sure what shops the group would prefer to go to but you said Andrei has a bit of a sweet tooth? Perhaps we could visit Honeydukes, maybe even the Three Broomsticks. But it might get a bit crowded so we could stay away from there until there's a less bus-" Hermione's conversation was cut short as a collision of occurrences started to happen that were just too much for her to keep track of.

She heard the incoming footsteps, a solid step she recognized as Durmstrang's manner of walking and began to turn her head to view Viktor's two friends. Right before she could greet them though she heard the quickened footsteps of someone with lighter, quicker gait rush by. They yanked harshly on her hair and she gripped the bench with her extended hand to steady herself as she yelped in pain. Viktor had reached out as well, grabbing her shoulder with a gentle grip but tight enough to have helped balance her.

"Get real mudblood!" The loud, verbal insult that was casted her way as the perpetrator ran off made her frown angrily. She didn't recognize them from the back as she saw their school robes flash a bit of green. Of course it was someone from Slytherin. It was always Slytherin.

"Hermy-own-ninny, you are okay? Are hurt? Let check, please mila." Viktor's immediate concern wasn't unnoticed by his two friends but they had barely gotten there when the incident occurred so their minds were preoccupied by the rude and strange event that had just taken place.

"Vere they go? Vey are in for rude time if catch them!" Fyodor called out while he looked at Hermione. He frowned as he also checked to make sure she was alright. People stared already and Fyodor almost wished he had took off after the offender instead of staying put but it was so unexpected he wasn't quite ready to respond in such a matter that happened in only a matter of seconds.

"_Colovaria!"_

The spell came out of nowhere and only seconds after the Durmstrang students had made sure she was okay. Mentally, she cursed at how stupid she had been to not expect something else but with three people surrounding her ready to respond on her behalf she felt as if her guard being let down was okay for once.

It was a tingling feeling at first that spread from the base of Hermione's head and seemed to drip down the remainder of her curly hair. She blinked, her nose had crinkled from the odd feeling but she almost forgot how she felt as she stared at what was happening in front of her.

Hermione watched as Viktor's hair, which had grown out just a bit since he came to Hogwarts, began to change shade from a dark brown to a decent bright shade of pink. She could see the color sprout from his scalp and wiggle its way towards the tips of his hair. Almost stunned for words as she blinked in a doe-eyed manner. she glanced to the side to see Viktor's two friends exchanging looks between her and Viktor.

"Your hair…is pink! Did you get hit as well?!" Hermione was absolutely sure the spell had only hit her. She felt it! She recognized the name of it and knew it's goal was to change the color of whatever it's intended target was. She grasped one of the ends of her curls and watched in partial amazement how the color turned from her natural one to something far more peculiar. A growingly, heated argument could be heard in the background where one voice definitely belonged to Draco.

"_You were supposed to hit her face with it, not her hair you twit! You didn't even get the right color!"_

"_I didn't even want to do this! I didn't mean to hit them both, I thought it was just her! They're gonna kill us."_

"_More like you, I didn't lift a finger for any this."_

At this point she was more concerned about Viktor than the spat that had grown in the background.

"My hair p...ink? Your hair pink, Herm-own-ninny" Viktor appeared confused, unsure of what actually just happened between the two. He noticed more people stared at them and he shifted uncomfortably so he pulled his hand back from Hermione's shoulder. His lack of contact and the receding of the pink color were no coincidence.

"Actually both hair vos pink, but now only Hermoh-knees is pink? Vot happening?" Alexsandr spoke up, as he tried to clarify a bit for the two. He was confused but Fyodor only had a squint on his face.

"_Touch her again Viktor._" Fyodor spoke though it was in Bulgarian. Hermione caught the expression on his face. It was the kind she wore when the cogs in her mind were turning, when she was on the verge of discovering something.

"Vot?" Viktor repsonded blankly, slightly put off by the phrasing before he realized.

"Somevere! _Her hand, her face, her arm it doesn't matter just do it Viktor!_" Fyodor responded with a mix of both languages. He was more worried about the outcome than making sure his speech was 100% how it ought to have been. The Bulgarian had an inkling as to what this could be but it was more a backhanded thought that entered his mind.

True to request, Viktor placed his hand back on Hermione's shoulder and sure enough his hair had returned to the same shade of pink it had been only moments ago.

"No vay...You know vot dis is right? You know vot dis could be meaning?" Fyodor spoke, slightly in awe. His mother had told of this to him and his sisters. About soul-mates and a simple test to tell of it. They had always laughed her off but true to her word it had turned out to be a legitimate thing. She had spoken of how all you needed was a competent enough wizard to say the charm's name and two people with enough chemistry. His mother had always claimed that's how his great-great-great-great grandmother met her husband.

Hermione had grown increasingly worried about what they were talking about and the fact that they were switching between English and Bulgarian did nothing to settle her nerves. She could only pick up on the fact that perhaps something wizard-related had occurred but it didn't appear to be anything she had ever read up on.

"Srodna Dusha?" Alexsandr questioned and Viktor immediately pulled back now realizing what Fyodor had lead the conversation into. Once more his hair returned to normal, while his companion's stayed the same. Hermione was slightly bug eyed as she started to dig through her bag for a mirror which seemed to be turning into quite the hunt. She wasn't overly concerned with her looks but this was a drastic situation that she definitely needed to deal with.

"Swodna D...osha?" Hermione questioned as she finally found a small compact mirror to examine what happened to her hair. Upon seeing what had happened to her bushy hair she wanted to cry internally. Bright pink, just like Viktor's had been. Couldn't she just have a normal start to her weekend? To top it off she could hear the giggles in the background but she was more-so overwhelmed by the gaping stares from her peers.

Having felt as if she couldn't take it any longer, she quickly stood up and attempted to rush away in shame but she was stopped almost as quickly as she tried to step away. Viktor's hand had grasped around her wrist with a firm tug.

"Please, just vait moment." Viktor spoke with a certain tone towards her. Hermione had turned sharply towards him, seen the pleading look in his eyes which caused her expression to soften momentarily.

Viktor quickly changed where he looked to Fyodor with an unamused expression written all over his face, _"Change tone next time, now she is overwhelmed and upset more than before. I must go to fix it. I'll see you two later."_

"Follow, yes? Please, we can go to quiet place." The Bulgarian Seeker started to walk once he was sure Hermione understood him, his hand still clung to her wrist while she followed with little pushback and her napsack in her free hand. He made quick work of walking through the courtyard and onto the beginning of a grassy path that lead towards the lake. Viktor knew a decent spot they could go to, he'd been at Hogwarts long enough at this point to have his bearings for certain locations. The edge of the Black Lake where he did his daily, _mostly daily_, exercises at would be a prime spot.

It didn't take long to reach the spot he intended to stop at and throughout the short, hurried walk there his grip on Hermione had loosened but not relinquished itself entirely. This changed when Hermione held her ground and stopped when she felt like there wasn't anyone else around and she had walked long enough.

"Please, just...what in bloody hell is going on? My hair is this ghastly pink, your hair turned pink, and then its wasn't! And everyone else had their giggling or staring and I try to ignore all of that but this is too much! And I j,ust" Hermione spoke in an exasperated tone, a sigh interrupted her jumbled mess of a speech before she tried to continue, "I just don't know what's happening. What on Earth have I missed?"

Viktor's facial expression softened as he gestured for them to sit on the concrete form. He remembered this spot from month's previous where she spent time with her two friends. It was near the path he took when he went for walks and he'd spot her every now and again.

"You are overvhelmed, I can see. Vill explain, okay? Just take minute, deep breath." He graced Hermione with a genuine smile, one that meant he was eager to help ease her confusion to the best of his ability.

"Yes I suppose so," Hermione wiped around her eyes before absentmindedly dusting the center of her skirt to be a bit neater with a half-hearted chuckle, "I suppose I'm being a bit dramatic."

"No. Your feelings normal? Is...ah what is word? J-joostified? You feel little better now, da?" Viktor responded, everything considered he felt she was in her right mind to react the way she did. He had seen far worse with other people, much older than her.

"Yes, I'm good now. Promise, okay?" Hermione nodded her head, hands set in her lap as she waited for Viktor to continue. She had to give him credit as it couldn't have been easy to keep such a straight face when her hair was such a bizarre color. It wasn't quite in her mind of how to rid herself of the charmed look and listening to Viktor was a more pressing matter for her.

"Is kind of complicated? Is more like legend that is...not really just legend. Vere is test many, many years before vat people take. Like ven vey get marry? Test for the soul, for both soul if vey are meant to be. Srodna Dusha. It mean Soul...mate?" Viktor trailed off momentarily to make sure Hermione was able to absorb his broken speech. It seemed as she if she was following, the concentrated, serious look in her eyes spoke as much.

"Test for soulmates? I've never heard of such a thing but I don't come from a wizarding background so that would be why. Are...you trying to say that the hair color stunt was that?" Hermione's head tilted as she spoke, verbalizing her thoughts to him in hopes that he would set her straight on what she had wrong and confirm what she had right. His hands squeezed together as she talked and he nodded softly.

"Da! Is basically vot happen to us? It happen ven person use vat charm. Other person touch and ven if vey are soul bound ven...vis happen? I vink at least. Maybe talk to trusted teacher?" Viktor himself wasn't entirely sure if he was right. He was still just as confused as Hermione but perhaps with a little more knowledge on his side, but only by a little.

Hermione had a slight hint of a blush on her cheeks and she looked down to avoid his gaze, her thumbs fiddled with one another to stay busy. Something like the thought of a soul mate was entirely foreign to her, but then again so was Viktor.

And she came to appreciate him.

"What...what do you think of all this? If you're right or wrong, what's on your mind?" Hermione looked upwards as she stared Viktor softly in the eyes. The hand he rested on the bench was slowly covered by Hermione's as she moved closer. Her mind was still a jumbled mess of emotion and thought so she had to clear her thoughts out one by one if else no other way.

"Am surprised about it, hard to explain. But if true, I think is good thing becose...I haff liked you for little while now?" Viktor scowled and looked to the side as there was no way to avoid how he felt anymore. Perhaps the confusion of the situation would be dealt with slowly but this would not be apart of that.

"You like...me? A joke right?" Hermione didn't pull away from her spot but she was a bit more caught off guard at such a revelation. The whole _soulmate thing _hadn't quite processed in her mind either but to hear something verbal was quite new to hear ears. It had a pleasant ring to it she decided.

"Vot, you think I joke? Am quite serious you know," Viktor huffed with a smile and pointed a finger at her, "May I be bold for short time, ask for kiss, yes?"

Hermione blinked, her eyes widened ever so slightly. It wouldn't be their first kiss, that had been at the Yule Ball. She'd enjoyed it greatly but he understood that romance and such was still something she'd have to adjust to and hadn't really pressured her further since then. The gryffindor nodded and figured she'd borrow just a little bit of her house's courage for this moment.

Viktor had leaned in slightly, hesitated before he his hand slid atop Hermione's knee. Her complexion, not quite considered pale but light enough that he could see the warm blush that dusted over her cheeks. She tilted her body closer to his in return, her hand soflty pressed against his cheek as their lips touched ever so slightly. Eyes fluttered closed on her part and the towering Bulgarian smiled into their kiss and he followed suit.

Once they both succumbed to their feelings after that first moment, Viktor pressed his mouth into her lips with a little more pressure than before. Not entirely experienced, Hermione felt a shiver in the middle of her stomach but had responded to his actions as best she felt how. Lips moved in a messy sync as the kiss became slightly more heated and parted to allow more freedom between the two.

Hermione felt instinct to bite softly on the edge of Viktor's bottom lip and in return he almost immediately squeezed firmly with the hand that was on her knee. It took a moment but Hermione nervously looked away as Viktor pulled back and returned to his previous posture.

"I-I'm sorry, you know I'm not really good about this sort of thing." Hermione avoided his gaze, blinking quickly in an excitable manner. Viktor shook his head, softly pulling guiding her head back to look at him.

"Sorry? Vhy be so? It was...very, very nice but good thing that ve stop. I haff to maintain gentleman image as vey say, yes?" Viktor smiled, a light laugh in his tone although he was quite honest in what he said.

"You really are too sweet, you know? We should probably get find Mcgongall. She'll know what to do about..._this_." Hermione practically bounced upwards, a different emotion in her being than earlier, a better one. Viktor followed suit as he matched her speed as they began to head back to the castle, watching her as light wind that had blown her messy curls about. She might have hated such a thing but he surely did not.

"_Lyubovta e prosto lyubov. Tya nikoga ne mozhe da bade obyasnena._" He murmured as they walked away, hand in hand, and pink hair to match.

"Now what's that mean?" Hermione angled her head to look at Viktor as they walked while she chuckled softly.

"Tell you...explain later, da?"

* * *

**a/n:** Lyubovta e prosto lyubov. Tya nikoga ne mozhe da bade obyasnena = Love is just love. It can never be explained.

I hope whoever has read this has enjoyed it!


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